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Saturday, March 26, 2011

Skysurfers a popular local winner of Godolphin Mile

The highly fancied Godolphin runner Skysurfers survived a spirited dual down the Meydan straight to win the 18th running of the US $1 million Group Two Godolphin Mile sponsored by Etisalat, getting the 1600m 1:37.65.

A full field of 14 started in the $1million purse 1600m race on the All-Weather surface.

A little reluctant to load, Skysurfers (GB) broke well from the gates and settled midfield. Another horse representing the UAE – Conveyance - was sent straight to the lead with I Want Revenge and As De Trebol on his heels.

The order would not change as the horses rounded the final turn: Conveyance leading I Want Revenge into the straight.

At the 300m mark Skysurfers and Mufarrah made their move. As an enthusiastic local crowd rose as one to cheer them home, the Godolphin and His HIghness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum runners challenged stride for stride in a scintillating duel.

Skysurfers stuck his head in front at the 50m mark and was able to hold on by half a length; Red Jazz (who also won the prize for best turned out horse) finishing 3 and a quarter lengths third.

The result was another Godolphin Mile win to the Godolphin team. It was the eighth time that trainer Saeed bin Suroor has trained the winner of the race and the sixth time that Dettori has ridden the winner.

“We knew he was coming into the race in very good form,” said winning trainer Saeed bin Suroor. “He was traveling well turning for home. Mufarrah was very tough, but I was always confident that he and Frankie would get there.”

Dettori had made no secret of his horse’s draw being an unfavorable one and was forced to travel three wide for much of the race but said: “The draw made a couple of lengths difference, but he's got tactical speed, so I got to where I wanted to be and then he got into a nice rhythm. I knew I had the best horse. Mufarrah made me work but we got there in the end.”

Skysurfers is a five year old entire by E Dubai ex Fortune (IRE) y Night Shift. The horse – who finished third in last year’s running of the race is a stakes winning Dubai International Racing Carnival graduate; his last start on February 10 seeing success in the Firebreak Stakes where he defeated this year’s Dubai World Cup hopeful Musir.

Post race quotes from the Group Two US$1 million Godolphin Mile, sponsored by Etisalat

Frankie Dettori, jockey, Skysurfers, 1st – “The draw made a couple of lengths difference, but he's got tactical speed, so I got to where I wanted to be and then he got into a nice rhythm. I knew I had the best horse. I was three wide but I had cover. I was not too far behind. The second made me work but we got there in the end.”

Saeed bin Suroor, trainer, Skysurfers, 1st - “We knew he was coming into the race in very good form. He was traveling well turning for home. The second horse was very tough, but I was always confident that he and Frankie would get there. This is his best distance and it's important that he has a break between races.”

Richard Hills, jockey, Mufarrh, 2nd – “I had the best trip I could have had behind the leader. He at the front but when Frankie came to me, I thought 'uh-oh', but he still ran a great race.”

Michael Hills, jockey, Red Jazz, 3rd – “He wasn't going quite as well as I would have hoped. On the turn, he was out-muscled by Frankie's horse. HE still ran on pretty well for third. It wasn’t a bad effort for his first turn of the year.”

George Baker, jockey, Premio Loco, 4th – “He's run a really nice race. He was a bit outpaced off the bend, but stayed on again down the straight. It was his first run for a while so he'll probably improve off it. We'll take him back to England and he'll continue to be competitive at the Group Two level.”

Wayne Smith, jockey, Zafeen Speed, 5th – “He ran a great race. He was held up at the top of the straight for about 100 yards with nowhere to go, then when the gap came, he ran on really well. No complaints. He's run super.”

Christophe Lemaire, jockey, Le Drakkar, 6th – “The race went well. I had good position behind the winner. We were outpaced in the final turn. He came back, finished really well. He's had a good season.”

Mike Smith, jockey, Make Music For Me, 7th – “Leaving the gate, he wanted to get out pretty badly. I had two hands on the reins at one point. Finally I got him straightened out and he ran on well.

Richard Mullen, jockey, Conveyance, 8th – “He traveled really good. I had it easy enough in the first part but then he just emptied out on me. I think he must not have been 100% the way he ran.”

John Murtagh, jockey, Hearts Of Fire, 9th – “He ran well and took to the (All-Weather) well. He just needs [400m] more.”

Ramon Dominguez, jockey, I Want Revenge, 10th – “He wasn't in the ideal spot where we wanted him to be, and turning for home he emptied out.”

Olivier Peslier, jockey, As De Trebol, 11th – “He was rank until he could get position. After that he was flat.”